Block-printing machine and method of operating the same



D. s. HOLT April 8, 1930.'

BLOCK PRINTING MACHINE AND METHOD OF OPERATING THE" SAME 11 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 23. 1927 D. S. HOLT April 8, 1930.

BLOCK PRINTING MACHINE AND METHOD OF OPERATING THE SAME Filed Sept. 23. 1927 11 Sheet-Sheet 2 wwm O I U O U O WWI ww April s, 1930.

D. s. HOLT BLOCK PRINTING MACHINE AND METHOD OF OPERATING THEISAME l1 Sheets-Sheet Filed Sept. zsj 1927 INVENTOR HVOOOOOOOOOOOOOO WMWQNMEMNQ q r D. S. HOLT April 8, 1930.

BLOCK PRINTING MACHINE AND METHOD OF OPERATING THE SAME Filed Sept. 23, 1927 11 Sheets-Sheet 4 m T N E V m April 8, 930.

D. s. HOLT 1,753,265

BLOCK PRINTING MACHINE AND METHOD OF OPERATiNG THE SAME Fiied Sept. 23,- 1927 l1 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTQR QM s..M.

April 8, 1930.

D. s. HOLT 1,753,265

B LOCK PRINTING" MACHINE AND METHOD OF OEERATI ING THE- SAME Filed Sept. 23, 1927 11 Sheets-Sheet 6 =5 iii! 35. j::

ed/c6 9" a4 66 8.5 h z v INVENITIOR April 8,1930. D. s. HOLT 1,753,265

BLOCK PRINTING MACHINE AND METHOD OF OPERATING THE SAME WWW 11 Sheets-Sheet 8 D. s. HOLT Filed Sept. 25, 1927 April 3, 1930.

BLOCK PRINTING MACHINE AND METHOD OF OPERATING THE SAME 11 shuts-sheet 1o V T S 3N m m n I n N..- IIII. v I- M 37 J M 8?. u v u N h, r

D. s. HOLT BLOCK PRINTING MACHINE AND METHOD OF OPERATING THE SAIE Fil ad Sept. 23. 192'! April 8, 1930.

E71 ww bmw n- April :8, 1930.

D. S. HOLT BLOCK PRINTING MACHINE AND METHOD OF OPERATING THE SAME Filed Sept. 23, 1927 l1 Sheets-Sheet 11 INVENTOR Patented Apr. 8, 1930 'rAra DANIEL s. HOLT, OF NEW BRUNSWICK, NEW mesm, ASSIGNOR TO'ARMSTRONG coax, COMPANY, or LANCASTER, PENNSYLVANIA, A'CORPORATI'ON or PENNSYLVANIA BLocK-rRINrINe MACHINE AN METHOD" or OPERATING r m sAMn Application file'd September 23, 1927. Serial No. 221,449.

This invention relates to printing machines, and particularly to printing machines of the reciprocating block type commonly employed in the printing of floor coverings such as linoleum and felt base goods.

Machines of this type are shown in United States Patents 1N0. 492,902 to Deinelt and Eisenhardt dated March 7 1893, and No. 1,159,301 to Waldron dated November 2,

10 1915. A machine of this general type is also shown'in PatentNo. 1,263,900 to Jones and Webster dated April 23, 1918. 1

, .Printing machines of this general type are provided with a plurality of reciprocating heads, each of whichcarries a printing block.

' The number of heads which are used depends on the number of colors which appear in the printed pattern as well as the design of the pattern itself. In the printing of. rugs, for instance, there is one set of heads which have complementary printing blocks thereon for reproducing the field pattern of the-rug and side borders. There is another set of blocks for printing the various colors in the cross borders. The rugs are printed on astrip of either definite or indefinite lengthwhich is progressively moved through the machine under the various printing heads. Rugs which are printed on felt base goods are, according to usual practice, printed on. strips of diiierent lengths, usually from 121 to 123 feet long. In the printing of linoleum the strip of linoleum is usually muchlonger and the length varies considerably, the linoleum 35 being fed through the printing machine practically continuously.

In theprinting of piece goods as distinguished-from rugs, the number of print ng heads which are necessary is usually less, be-

t0 selective operation of the printing heads is cause thereare no-cross borders to be printed.-

[by it.

secured. The selector mechanism is of an extremely simple construction and one which provides a high degree offiexibility. The invention further proposes the provision" of an the blocks is ordinarily-18 inches,- so that 636111.165 7 block is capable of printing-entirely across 1 the width of the strip, but will only cover an 18-inch section in the length of the :strip. The printing heads are'also ordinarily spaced 36 inches apart from center to center, so that-2:70 between adjacent heads there is a space of 18 inches. In the operation of the machine the material is moved under theheads progressively 18 inches at a time. For the purpose of the present invention it is therefore con- 01 venient to image the material being printed on as consisting of a series of contiguous 18- inch sections.

Each head of the printing machine is provided with a separate electrical control mechanism, anda selector is provided having a series of contacts for each control. A movable carrierjis embodied in the selector which has a plurality of shiftable contacts thereon. In the printing of a piece of material of definite length the carrier has a shiftable element for substantially each 18-inch section intheentire length'ofthe piece; The carrier is progressed through the selector proportionately to the movement of the piece of 90 goods through the printing machine, and each of these shiftable contact members is adjusted to a position where it will control,v in its movement through the selector, those printing heads which are to print on the par-- ticular 18-inch section of material controlled This secures anextre'mely flexible trip control. For instance, if in the printing of rugs 12 feet in length, the length of the piece is not sufiicient to give an even number 109 of 12-foot rugs, then the sequence of move ment of the printing heads can be easily shifted to print a shorter rug at some point in the length of the strip. Likewise, if a defect appears in the material being printed, the sequence of operation can be interrupted so as to prevent the printing of any pattern on the defective material, and if rugs are being printed, one rug can be finished off before the defect is reached. Shiftablecontactors controlling the 18-inch section or sections in which the defect appears can be moved to an inoperative position so no printing will occur on the defective spot. The printing of the next rug can be started immediately behind the defect in the material. With this arrangement considerable material is saved 7 because base material with defects therein does not need to be printed but can be skipped and because, in the printing of rugs, shorter rugs can be printed on uneven lengths.

While the shiftable contacts can be adjusted manually to obtain the desired sequence in the movement of the printing heads,

there are a relatively large number of these shiftable contacts and it is therefore desirable to have a master controller which will automatically shift the movable contacts to the de sired position, but which will notimpair the flexible manner in which the selector may be operated. According to the present invention such a master controller 15 provided.

'The invention may be understood by reference to the accompanying drawings which it lustrate an embodiment of my invention, but it will be understood that the drawings are merely illustrative andthat the invention is not confined to the particular construction and arrangement of parts therein shown.

In the drawings- Figure 1 is a more or less diagrammatic view partly in longitudinal vertical section and partly in side elevation of a multiple head block printing machine of the type to which the present invention pertains and showing the trip mechanism for controlling the printing heads; Figure 2 is a detail side elevation of the l trip mechanism;

Figure 3 is a side elevation of the selector mechanism;

Figured is a side elevation on a larger scale of a portion of this selector mechanism;

Figure5 is a top plan view of the selector mechanism with the top casing removed;

Figure 6 is a transverse section in the plane of line VIVI of Figure 5:

' Figure 7 is a transverse section in the plane ofline VIIVII of Figure 3; 0Z

Figure 8 is a detail perspective view of one of the contact elements used in the selector;

Figure 9 is a diagrammatic view showing the circuits between the selector and trip control mechanism of the printing heads:

Figure 10 is a diagram illustrating the progressive printing of a piece of floor covering;

Figure 11 is another diagram showing the manner in which the usual order of printing may be varied where a defective piece of material is encountered;

Figure 12 is an end elevation of the selector mechanism showing particularly parts of the master controller;

Figure 13 is a detailed perspective view of one of the bars of the master controller;

Figure 14 is a detailed view showing the upper part of the contact shifting mechanism of the master controller;

Figure 15 is a transverse vertical section in the plane of line XV-XV of Figure 1a;

Figure 16 is an end elevation of the parts at one end of Figure 14;;

Figure 17 is a detail plan view of the shifting blocks of the master controller;

Figure 18 is a detail perspective view of a counterweight forming a part of the holdout mechanism of the master controller;

Figure 19 is a side elevation showing in detail another part of the master controller;

Figure 20 is a front elevation of the part shown in Figure 19 Figure 21 is a detail view showing a form of spring key employed in the driving of a part of the master controller;

Figure 22 is a detail plan view of the spe cially formed member carried by the boom;

Figure 23 illustrates the removable spindle for themaster controller; and

Figure24c is a transverse section through the shaft in the planeof line XXIV-XXIV of Figure 23.

Referring to Figure 1, 2 designates the frame of a printing machine which may, for instance, be of the type shown in WValdron Patent No. 1,159,301 above referred to. The frame of the machine supports a bed 3 over which the material to be printed is intermittently moved by suitable mechanism not shown, but of any type well known in the art. Arranged over the bed of the machine are a plurality of printing heads 5. Each of these printing heads, or those which are to be used in the printing of a given pattern, is provided. with a printing block 6. Color carriages are provided for each printing block, all of these color carriages being designated 7. They are all connected together for simultaneous reciprocable movement. In operation a carriage passes from one side of the head to which it supplies color to the other and in so doing applies paint to the printing surface of the block. The mechanism is so arranged that the blocks can only come down toprint on material on the bed of the machine after the carriages have been moved to a position at one side ofthe head; In Figure 1, the color carriages are shown directly under the printing blocks, but in operation they are onlymomentariy in this position I V. l Y

' For operating the printing heads, each head is provided with an operating shaft 8. The shafts 8 are all operated in unison from a single driving mechanism located at 9, the driving connections not being shown in the diagram in Figurel and forming no part of the present invention; On each end of each cross shaft is a cam 10 which engages a cam roller 11 mounted on a vertically slidable bar 12 at each side of the machine. The printing heads of the respective printing units are carried on these vertically movable side bars.

Associated with each of the printing'units is a holdout latch mechanismcomprising a shaft 13 having latch-up hooks 14 at each cud thereof. These hooks are adapted to engage under blocks '15 on the reciprocable bars or posts 12 whenthey are in operative position for preventing the bars from lowering by gravity when the cams are rotated to head lowering position. Associated with the block 15 is a vertical guide strip 16.

So much of the machine as has been described. is now in use on standard printing machines of this type.

According to the present invention a lever 17 is secured to the shaft 13 on which-the hold-up hooks 1 1 are carried. The shaft 13 of each printing unit or head is. provided with such a lever. Hinged on the lever 17 at 18 is a bell crank lever 19 having a horizontal arm 19 with a counterweight 19? at its outer end. The bell crank 19 has a vertically depending arm 19. The forward edge of the lever 19 pushes against one face ofthe lever 1.7 when the parts are in normal position, as clearly shown in Figure 2, whereby the counterweight 19 tends to rotate the shaft 13 ina clockwise direction to keep thehold-up hooks let in operative position, which is theposition shown at the extreme left hand end of the machine in Figure 1. The bifurcated end 20 I of a drop link 21 is pivotally secured to the lower end of the arm 19 at 22. Secured to the link 21 is a spring cam 23. Each printing unit carries a bracket 24 on which, is an electr c-magnet, preferably a double-pole magnet, 25 located above the link 21. The

link 21 is'of soft iron as is also the core of the magnet 25 so that neither of these parts will retain residual magnetism upon energization time by means of a novel selector mechanism.

'TlllS mechanism may be best understood by.

of'the magnet windings.

EXL'SRClHIg lengthwise of the printing machlne under the bed 3 1s a reciprocable bar 26 guided at various points in. rollers 27 mounted on brackets 28 on the irame of the machine. Secured to the bar 26 1n corresponding relation to each printing'unit is a cam plate 29. Also secured to the bar 26 in cor-' responding relation to each printing head and spaced away from the respective cam plates are dogs 30.

Connected to the end of the rod 26 is a link 31 whose other end is connected to the operating end of a vertical lever 32-mounted ona shaft 33. The lower end of the lever. 31 is pivotally connected at 34 to a link 35. The

other end of the link 35 isconne'cted with a collar 36 operative'ly engaging an eccentric 37 on the shaft 8 for the printingunit most nearly adjacent one end'of the machine. The

eccentric 37 is so disposed on the shaft 8 v with reference to the cam 10 that at the proper time the rod 26 will be reciprocated in one direction, and at the proper time will be moved in the opposite direction.

' When the rod 26 reciprocatestoward the left as viewed in Figure l, the cam plate 29 for each unit engages the cam 23 on the drop link 21 of each unit and forces the link 21 of each unit up into contact with the poles of the magnet 25. If at this time the magnet 25 for a particular unit is energized, the link 21.

will beheld in this elevated position." Tf'the magnet is not energized, the link 21 will drop down again just as soon as the rod 26 starts to move toward the right as viewed in Figure 1. If the link 21 is free to drop down,-its-:

not be energized toprevent the link 21 from V dropping, then, asthe part 26 moves toward the right the forked end 30 of the dog 30 will engage the terminal of the link '21 and. tend to lift the counterweight 19 forked end 30 has a camming action which The will draw the drop link down out of contact withthemagnet cores, so that the soft iron of the cores and of the drop links is not injured by one rubbing laterally over the other in tripping the holdout latch. Just as soon as the counterweight 19 is lifted, the bell crank pressure against the lever 17 is relieved and a pull is exerted by the bell crank on the lever 17, so that the hold-up hooks 1 1 will swing out of the path of the block 15, thereby allowing the head to descend. Prompt and successful release action-is secured by this construction during the brief moment when theweight of the printing head is lifted off the holdout' latch.

The magnets 25 are energized at the proper reference to Figures 3, at, 5, 6 and '7. This selector mechanism is preferably located at. V the feedlng end of the machine in advance of the first printing head. Itis contained ina suitable casing 40. This casing may be provided wlth con-venlently arranged sections which can be removed oropened out to give access to the interior of the casing. In Fig ure 3 there is shown a'hinged' cover sectionat 41 which may be opened on a hinge 42.

The selector is operated from the driving shaft 43thatis, geared to the shaft8 of the first printing head, or otherwise connected withthe drivingmeans, so that the selector will move in unison with the operation of the printing machine. On the shaft 43 is a crank disk 44 having a crankpin 45 which operates in a block 46 slidable in the bifurcated end 47 ofa beam 48 pivotally mounted on a. stationary part of the frame at 49. Pivoted to the free end of the beam 48 at 50 is a second beam 51 whichnormally rests on the beam 48 and which has a counterweight 52 thereon for causing it'to normally lie on the beam 48.

Pivotally connectedto the upper beam 51 at 53 is avertically extending link 54 having a ,slot55 in its upper end as best shown in Figure v4. Under ordinary conditions of operation the beam 48 1s oscillated in a vertical arc upon rotation of the shaft 43, and this tate the shaft 57 manually.

Passing through the slot 55 in the upper end of the link 54 is a pin 59 carried on a lever 60 extending out from a sleeve 61 having a working fit on the shaft 57. Adjacent the sleeve 61 is a ratchet wheel 62 which is fixed to the shaft 57, as most clearly shown in Figure 6. The lever 60 carries a pawl 63 that cooperates with the ratchet wheel 62.

Carried on the shaft 57 and secured thereto are spaced-apart sprockets 64. Passing over the sprockets 64 are parallel chains 65. Each of the chains 65 has an even number of links, and they are of the same length. They are held in a substantially L-shaped circuit between upper guide bars 66 and 67 and between lower guide bars 68 and 69. At the end of the guide bars 6667 and 68-69 most remote from the sprockets 64 is an idler shaft 70 having sprockets 71 thereon over which the chains 65 pass. At the opposite ends of the horizontal guides 66-67 and 68-69 is another idler shaft 72 having sprockets .72 thereon over which the parallel chains 65 pass. Two spaced-apart disks or wheels 73 on a shaft 74 lie in the bottom of the vertical loop of chain between the sprockets 64 and the sprockets 72 and serve to keep the vertical loop of chain taut and to keep the chains parallel. The shaft 74 is a floating shaft supported by the loop in the chain and 'is free to move up and down with any removal or addition of links to the chain. The chains are of a well known type which can be easily opened to permit the insertion or removal of links so that their lengths can be conveniently varied. At every other joint of the chains the pins ordinarily provided in the chains are replaced by cross rods 75 as best shown in Figures 6 and 7 extending from chain to chain. Each rodserves both as a joint pin for the chains and as a support for a. shiftable contact ring or disk carried thereon. This contact ring comprises an insulating sleeve 76 on which is a metal ring or roller 77. The sleeve 76 is freely rotatable ondthe rod 75 and can slide freely along the r0 In Figures 3 and 4 the eccentric pin 45 operated by the shaft 43 is in its uppermost position and the vertical link 54 is at the highest limit of its movement. The pin 59 at this time is at the lower end of the slot 55. During the first quarter-revolution of the shaft 43 the vertical link 54 will move down relatively to the lever 60 until the pin 59 on the lever 60 comes into contact with the slot 55. During the remaining half of the downward movement of the crank pin 45 the link 54 acting through the pin 59 will rock the lever 60 downwardly. The pawl 63 will, during this downward movement of the lever 60, rotate the shaft 57 with its sprockets 64 and advance the endless carrier comprising the chains and the rods. The ratchet 62 has one-half as many teeth as the sprockets 64 and the other parts are so pro portioned as to move the endless carrier a distance equal to the length of two links, which is equal to the spacing of the rods 75 with their contact rings 77.

During the latter half of the revolution of the shaft 43 the beams 48 and 51 are raised and the link 54 is raised. During the first halfof the raising movement of the link 54 the link will move upwardly relative to the pin 59 on the lever 60 until the pin 59 contacts with the lower end of the' slot 55. Thereafter the link 54 will raise the lever 60 and the pawl 63 will ride over the teeth of the ratchet wheel 62 without rotating the shaft 57.

The drop of the pawl 63 for engagement with the ratchet 62 upon the next downward movement of the lever 60 is assured by reason of a tail 63 secured to the pawl. This tail is adapted to contact with a fixed stop element 63". As the lever 60 moves up, pivoting about the shaft 57 the tail 63 swings down into contact with the stop 63 to cause it to force the pawl down into engagement with a tooth of the ratchet. The roller 78 on the end of the lever 79, which lever is pivoted to the frame at 80, engages in one of the sprockets 64. This roller is pressed into engagement with the teeth of the sprocket by a torsion spring 81. The purpose of the roller 7 8 is to counteract any frictional resistance in the back motion of the ratchet to thereby hold the shaft 57 with its sprockets 64 against reverse rotation. V 1 I Extending across the guides 66 and 69 for the chains are a plurality of strips 82 of bakelite or other insulating material. narily there is provided one strip 82 for each printing head in the block printing machine. In the selector shown'inthe accompanying drawings there are 26 of these strips, but this number may be varied according to the number of blocks in the machine to be. controlled. Mounted on each strip-82 are a plurality of binding or contact posts 83,.the

number of binding posts on allof the strips 82 being the same. Supported on'the under side of intermediate strips '82 are parallel guide bars 84 as best shown in Figures 5 and 82 and the lower series 'ofstrips 82 are longitudinally extending busbars 86. Secured to and supported on these bus bars are trans verse spring contact elements 87 which are preferably of the form shown in Figure 8.

Located in advance of the grooves underthe-upper series of plates 82 is a grooved table 88. The grooved table 88 has a plurality of grooves therein in alignment with the grooves a to z, inclusive, andis so positioned that the contact rings or rollers 77 on the rods will roll thereover before passing under the cross strips 82. The grooves are V-shaped so that the rollers 77 center themselves with respect to the particular grooves a to z' in which they are to travel. I

All of the eleotromagnets 25 for the several printing heads are connected to one side of a line 90, as shown 1n F1gure9', leadlng from any suitable source of current supply, not shown. The bus bars 86, carried across the contact members 87 are connected to the same source of current through a line 91. Leading from the other side of each electromagnet 25 is a wire 93 terminating in a flexible connector which may be attached to any one of the binding posts 83 on the cross strip 82, there being one cross strip for each electro-magnet. The electro-magnets are preferably connected to the respective bin ding posts I 83 in consecutive order, the magnet 25 of the first head being connected with one of the binding posts 83 of the first strip 82, the second to the second strip, etc. travels in the direction .Of the arrows shown in Figures 3 and 4 so that the first. strip 82 is None of the The carrier.

the upper strip at'the right hand end and the last strip is the lower one at the right hand end. V y I Located at one sidev of the carrier is a panel 94 to which wires93, shown in the diagram in Figure. 9, lead. Each wire 93 passes through anopening in the panel 94 and has a flexible end. portion 93 having a .cap ,95 adapted to be snapped onto or otherwise secured to the contact posts 83. Where necessary the flexible connector-93 may be split so that certain desired printing heads maybe selectively connected to two or more contact posts 83 on the same strip. On, the panel 94 there is an idle post96 for each row of contact posts 83 so that if a given head is notto be operated the connector% for controlling this 7 electro-magnet may be hooked out of the way on this idle post.

"As hereinbefore pointed out, in the usual lock printing machines the printing blocks are'18 inches wide. It is thereforeconvenient'to imagine the material being printed upon as being composed of successive 18=inch sections. Assume that definite lengths of material are being printed upon, say strips 121 feet long, and that this is being printed into rugs of 12-foot. lengths. Each: rug is therefore composed. of eight 18-inch sections. However, in the prlntlng of rugshaving a cross border. at each end thereof, the printing blocks forthe' cross borders are so designed that they willprint the cross border at the. Y

' end of one rug and'the cross border at the" be inning of the next rug at the same time.

In other. words, the strip is out after. the print-:

ing into rug lengths, and the line of the cut is through the center of the border pattern.

Therefore the printed rug is composedof: seven complete 18-inch sections and two halfsections of 9 incheseach. This is clearly shown 1n Figure 11 wherespace wm indicates theends of adjacent rugs. The rugs.

will be cut on the line y-y, so that at the end of each rug there .is a 9-inch section 06-fl/. The field of the rug is composed of similar sections 2+2, there being seven of these sec-' tions in all. Of course it will be understood that the sections are not actually visible in" the finished product but that they are, neverthelessfprinted in sections.

Y For thevpurpose' of the present invention it may be assumed that the rug is printed in only three colors, with the simple pattern shown in Figure 11'. Six printing heads would be necessary to reproduce this pattern.

The first head would print the designs Z and.

Z in the section 0'cw, the second head would print in the field in the bordersection The next head will print the part Z The next head will print in the design Z in another color.

The next head will print the field color in the section having designsl? and. Z and the last head will print in the plain field sections of the rug, which sections are designated m.

In the printing of this pattern the head which prints the designs Z and Z would only make a single impression on the rug and then -main up for seven more sections. This would be true also of the head which prints the field color around the border patterns Z and Z. The same sequence would follow in the printing of the patterns Z and Z and in the printing of the field color in the section containing the pattern Z and Z However, the block which prints the sections m would lower six times in succession and then be held up for two sections and then print again six times in succession, there being ordinarily always six of the sections m.

The material being printed upon is delivered to the machine from a roll. According to some methods, the material, after being printed upon, is festooned vertically in a drying stove. According to another practice, the material, after being printed upon, is cut into definite lengths and dried on racks in horizontal ovens. For instance, such hori- L zontal ovens may conveniently receive strips 120 feet in length. Consequently, with this latter practice, the material is printed to give an evennumber of rugs in each 118% feet and leave an 18-inch strip on each 120 foot length; for example, nine 12-foot rugs and one l0 -foot rug. WVhen the 120 foot mark comes along, the border block prints twice in succession. The reason for this is that each border block prints borders facing in opposite directions, one finishing ofi the one rug and one starting the next. When the block printing the double border drops twice in succession, there is a small printed section 18 inches long containing two borders facing each other. The strip of material-is cut at the end of the last complete rug in the stri and the 18-inch strip'with the two borders acing each other provides for the attaching of a clamp tothe next length of goods to pull it into the oven. The dropping of the border block twice, besides forming'the 18-inch clamping strip, initiates the be inning ofthe next complete rug.

ince the material is advanced in 18-inch sections through the machine, the selector preferably has a rod and contact 77 for each 18-inch section in the -foot length, that is, eighty such rods and contacts.

To print the pattern shown in Figure 11 the'first contact roller 77 may be set to travel along one of the grooves, say groove b, in the selector. This roller will control the first 18-inch section of the strip to be printed upon. The next roller to control the printing on the next 18-inch section in which'appear the patterns Z and F Will be positioned to travel along the groove 0. The next roller corresponding to the next 18-inch section will be set to travel along the groove (Z. Since the succeeding five sections have the same pattern as the third section, these succeeding five rollers will also be set to travel along the groove (Z. The next 18-inch section will be a border section so that the roller for this section will be set to follow the first roller in the groove 7). The next roller in turn will be set to travel in the groovec and the succeeding six rollers set to travel in the groove cl. This sequence of arrangement will follow throughout the length of the chain.

' Assume that the first head prints the patterns Z and Z of the border section. Assume that the second head prints the field in the border section. Then the connector 93 for the first printing head will connect to that contact post 83 on the first cross strip 82 which is over the groove 6. The connector 98* for the next head is connected to the corresponding contact post on the second series.

If the third head prints the portion Z the contactor 93 for the third head will be connected to a connector 88 in the third row positioned over t-he groove 0. If the fourth head prints the pattern Z then the connector 93 for the fourth head is connected to the 5;

contact post of the fourth series over groove 0. If the fifth head prints in the field around the designs Z and Z the connector for the fifth head is connected to the post of the fifth series over the groove 0. The sixth head will 1.

print the sections we and the connector for the sixth head will be connected to that connector post of the sixth row which is over the section (Z. All of the other printing heads will be idle.

In the progress of printing, the first roller moves under the first contact in thegroove b the magnet 25 is energized to cause the descent of the printing head 5 controlled thereby. When the first roller is moved under the 33:

second contact in the groove '5 the second printing head 5 is operated. The remaining contacts in the first groove Z) are not connected in any live circuit, so that the first roller will not operate any more printing heads, and 2. printlng heads 1 and 2 will not operate until the ninth roller engages the first contact groove 6. Likewise, theother rollers traveling in the proper grooves will energize the various magnets at the proper time to give the desired sequence of printing; Each 18- inch section will only be printed on when the roller representing the section completes a circuit through the magnets Should an imperfection in the material'be seen, the order of printing can be changed so that a defective rug need not be printed. The material lies fiat on the bed of the machine for some distance in advance of the first printing head so thatit can be inspected before it reaches the first printing head. Likewise, the I defect, or it may be a defect which covers one or two or possibly more 18-inch sections. if

the defect is contained within but a single section the roller for that particular section is drawn into the groove which prints the cross border. The roller for the section immediately following is also set in the groove f setting is necessary, however, aftera variation is required because of some defect being which controls the printing of the cross border. Thus the cross border pattern is printed twice in succession and the defective material between the lines rr is cut out. It will be seen that one rug is finished off just before the defect and the printin of the next rug follows just after the defect has passedand that the only material which is wasted is thatbetween the lines rr.

Ifthe defective material is of a length greater than one section, the first roller for tie defective section is set tov cause the printing of the cross border while the succeeding rollers are moved to the extreme right as viewed in Figure'7 so that rollers for thedefective sections travel along the groove a in which there are no contacts at all. Succeeding rollers are set to travel in the groove a until all of the defective material has been skipped, after which the contact rollers are set to resume the regular sequence of print- 111g. 3

The material which is cut into strips to be printed is generally of such length that a definite number of rugs of a certainsize can be printed from a given .piece. If one or more sections is defective, an even number of rugs can not be printed onthe-piece. With the resent invention 'a com lete ru of shorter length can be printed on the odd length at the end of the strip. If, for instance,

12-foot rugs which are eight 18-inch sections in length are being printed, and the odd piece at the end will allow for printing six 18-inch sections, the sequence of printing can be changed. A complete rug of shorter length is produced, and it is done by so setting the rollers that fewer field sections will be printed than are ordinarily required in the 12-foot rug.

The invention thereforeefiects a considerable saving of material and a considerable saving of paint. It is highly flexible because of the provision of a separately adjustable selector contact for controlling each individual section in the length of the strip b ing printed upon.

The setting of the contacts in regular sequence can be easily done by an attendant, and the order of sequence quickly changed without stopping the machine when the necessity for doing so becomes apparent. By uttlng a crank on the squared end 58 ofthe shaft 57, the contact carrier, that is the chains,

can be operated manually so as to initially set all of the contact rollers or disks in the proper position to carryout the printing of the strip. Inthe printing of rugs the contact disks or'rollers are always 'set so as to begin with the printing of a border pattern and end off the piece with the printing of a border j pattern. In view ofthe fact thata large nuinber of rugs of the same dpattern are runoff at one time, the. selector isks do not have to be reset for the printing of each Sit/P1P. Re-

encountered. It will be seen that material through the printing machine. The extent of' movement of the carriermay of course be less than the actual movement of the goods, but the same corresponding relation is maintained at all times.

In Figure 10 there is illustrated diagrammatically the sequence in the movement of theprint-ing heads, In this figure the material is represented by the numeral 100 andv the pattern isof geometrical form. The pattern on each sectionis generally the same, being comprised of a series of squares 101;

' The printing blocks are designated 102 to 108,

inclusive. The first printing block 102 prints the field pattern in every section leaving theblank squares 101. The printing block l03 the contact carrier is. intermittently advanced at a rate corresponding exactly to the rate of movement of the prints acolored pattern in the squares of alternate sections. The printing block 104 7 prints another color in the same sections that are printed by the block 103. Likewise, block 105 prints in the same sections as the blocks 104 and 10.3 but still another colorixThe blocks 106, 107 and 108 print difierentcolors in different patterns in the alternate sections between those printed by the blocks 103, 104,

and 105. Since the material is moved intermittently through the machine thelengthof one-section at a time and since the difference between the centers of the blocks is equalto twice the length of a section, it is apparent that a given section is first alternately located 108 print on the intervening sections. Blocks 102, 103, 104 and 105 all come down into printing position in unison while the blocks 106, 107and 108 are latched u After blocks 102, 103, 104 and 105 are printed and are raised and the material is advanced the length of one section the blocks 102, 106, 107 and 108 are lowered while'bloc-ks 103, 104 and 105'31'6 latchedup.

With an arrangement of this .kind the,

sprocket 113.

connector 93 for the first printing head would be split and coupled to two posts 83 on plate 82 for grooves b and 0. The posts for groove 7) on the second, third and fourth plates would be connected to the magnets for the second, third and fourth heads. The posts for the groove 0 would be connected to the magnets which control printing blocks 106, 107 and 108. The rollers would be alternated first to travel through groove 6 and next to travel through groove 0. By reason of the split connection for the first head rollers going through grooves Z) and 0 would both operate head 102. Rollers going through groove 7) would also operate heads 103, 104 and 105. The rollers going through groove 0 would operate blocks 106, 107 and 108. Since the rollers are progressively alternated, the operation of the heads 103, 104 and 105 would be alternated with the operation of the heads 106, 107 and 108.

The master controller for setting the selector disks in the proper predetermined relation is located at the right hand end of the selector mechanism as viewed in Figure 3. Secured to the ratchet 62 on the shaft 57 (as best shown in Figure 6) is a sprocket wheel 110. Supported int-he frame work is a pm 111 upon which is carried a built-up frame or boom comprised of parallel side pieces 112, (see Figures 12, 19 and 20) held in spaced relation by, cross bolts. Located be tween the lower end of the bars 112 and having a working fit on the pin 111 is a V The sprocket 113 is driven from the sprocket 110 by a chain 114. Mounted inbearings at the top of the side pieces 112 that form the boom is a sleeve 115 having a sprocket wheel 116 thereon and the sleeve 115 is rotated by means of a chain 117 passing over the sprocket 116 and passing around a second sprocket 118 connected with the sprocket 113. Received within the sleeve 115 is one end of a removable spindle 119 (Figs. 23 and 24). The spindle 119 is yieldably driven by means of a U-shaped spring key l20, shown in detail in Figure 21.. The parallel arms of this spring U-shaped key 120 are received in slots cut in the sleeve I 115, andbearagainst flattened sides of the driving connection of a simple type is thus provided by the U-shaped key spring 120.

At the upper end of the boom 112 is a specially formed member 121 having a wing 122 thereon. This wing or flange 122 is provided with a notch 123 (see Figure 19), for the purpose hereinafter described.

Supported in the upper part of tl e frame of the machine at the right hand end as viewed in Figures 3, 4, and 5, is a transversely extending bar 124 (see Figure 14). Slidable on the bar are two blocks, 125 and 126. The blocks are so located that their opposed faces may be brought into contact with the sides of the selector disks 77 as they successively move opposite the bar 124, as best shown in Figure 5. With reference to Figure 5 it will be seen that the disk 77 is resting between opposed faces of the blocks 125 and 126.

Mounted on the frame of the machine are two bell crank levers 127 and 128, the pivot points of which are located at 129 and 130, respectively. The upper end of the vertical arm of the crank 127 is provided with a rounded head 127 which is received in a slot in the sliding block 125. Similarly, the upper end of the vertical arm of the bell. crank lever 128 has a rounded head 128 received in a slot in the sliding block 126. A tension spring 131 is connected to the horizontal arm of the bell crank lever 127 (see Figure A tension spring 132 is connected to the horizontal arm of the lever 128. As viewed in Figures 12 and 14, lever 127 is always urged by the spring 131 toward the right and the lever 128 is always urged by its spring 132 toward the left. Any oscillatory movement of the levers 127 and 128 serves to slide blocks 125 and 126 on the bar 124.

For operating the levers 127 and 128 against the action of the respective springs 131 and 132 there is provided a vertically reciprocable bar 133. (See Figures 12 and 13.) Projecting from the side of the beam 48 (see Figures 3 and 12), is a pin 134 on which is a sleeve 135 having transverse trunions 136 thereon to which the bifurcated end 133 of the rod 133 connect. There is, therefore, a substantially universal connection between pin 134 and the vertically reciprocable rod 133. The up-and-down movement of the beam 48 serves to impart an up-and-down movement to the bar 133. At the upper end of the bar 133 is a substantially T-shaped head 137 having inclined portions 138 and parallel side portions 139. Upon downward movement of the rod 133, as viewed in F igure 12, the inclined surfaces 138 engage rollers 140 on the levers 127 and 128 to open the levers, spreading them apart against the action of their respective springs 131 and 132. By this spreading movement of the levers 127 and 128 the block 125 is moved to the extreme left hand end of the bar 124 l as viewed in Figure 14 and the block 126 is moved to the extreme right hand end of the bar 124. As long as the rod 133 is held down the blocks 125 and 126 are held at the extreme limits of their movement. VV hen the rod 133 lifts, the levers 127 and 128 are free to move under the action of their respective springs 131 and 132 to a predetermined position as determined by the control mechanism as hereinafter more fullyexplained.

The overhanging end of the spindle 119, as best shown in Figures 4, 5 and 12, is provided with spaced apart sprockets 141 over which is hung an endless carrier 142 comprised of spaced-apart roller chains 143 connected by rods 144 at every other joint, the construction of the endless belt 142 being generally similar to the construction of the endless carrier in the selector. Adjustably secured to the rods 144 are disks 145. These disks may be adjusted along the rods 144 and secured in a given position by set screws 146 (see Figure 5). The width of the control belt assembly 142 is substantially the same as the width of the selector carrier, and the belt 142 is in alignment with the selector. The disks'145 are set on their rods 144 in a predetermined relation. so that each one of the disks 145 is opposite one of the grooves 64 to 2', inclusive. a

In its normal operating positionthe belt 142 is so located that the disks 145 will progressively move into the path of travel of the blocks 125 and 126 on the bar 124. This is best shown in Figure 5 wherein it will be seen that one of the disks 145 is located between the blocks 125 and 126.

The belt 142 is preferably of a length which will provide for a number of disks 145 equal to the number of sections in the rug to be printed. Belts of different lengths can be kept in stock and easily interchanged when desired. The disks 145 are set opposite grooves a to 91 in the sequence in which the selector rollers 77 are to be placed. F or instance, if the first roller starting at a given point is to go in groove 5 the-first disk 145 is set in line with groove 7). If the next succeeding three rollers 77 are to travel along groove 0 the next succeeding three disks 145 are set opposite groove 0. If there are eight sections in the rug to be printed, there will be eight of the disks 145 in the chain 142, and each one will be set, in this manner, opposite one of the grooves a to 2'.

In the operation of this mechanism, the rod 133 moves down, spreading the blocks 125 and 126 to the extreme limits of their movement. The blocks 125 and 126 are spread apart on the initial downward movement of the bar 133, as the bar 133 is moved down by the movement of the beam 48. The downward movement of the beam 48 also advances the selector carrier through the selector mechanism, as hereinbefore described, but the carrier in the selector does not move except in the last half of the down ward movement of the beam due to the lost motion provided by the slot in the operating link "54. The blocks 125 and 126 are therefore spread to their full limit before the selector carrier is advanced. The control chain 142 is advanced one step at the same time the selector is advanced through the sprocket chains 114 and 117.

\Vhen the beam 48 completes its upward movement, the T-shaped cam 137 is not effective for keeping the levers 127 and 128 spread apart, and springs 131 and 132 urge their respective levers toward each other. As the levers move toward each other, sliding the blocks 125 and 126 toward each other, the selector disk 77 which is then in the path of travel of either of the blocks 125 and 126 will be slid along its supporting bar 75 toward the other block. The sliding movement of the blocks 1'25 and 126 is limited by. reason of the opposite faces of the two blocks coming into contact with one of the fixed disks 145 of the control chain 142. The selector disk 77 is thus brought to a central position between the two blocks 125 and 126. In this central position it is opposite one of the grooves a to z because of the'disk 145 being opposite that groove. By reason of the fact that the levers 127 and 128 are moved toward each other by means ofsprings the extent of movement of either lever is variable. For instance, if a given contact disk is supposed to move along groove a, the block 126 would not be slid along the bar 124 at all while block 125 would slide to the greatest possible ex.- tent along the bar 124. If the selector disk 77 were to be moved into the other extreme groove 2', block 125 would not move at all and block 126 would move the full distance. For moving the selector 77 intoany of the grooves intermediate a and i both blocks 125' and 126 move but the distance which they move is only equal when the selector disk isv to be entered in the central groove; 7

As the machine continues to operate each selector disk 77 will" automatically be moved to the desired position by. the blocks. 125 and 126. The sequence in the setting of the selector disks 77 will be repeated with every complete circuit of the chain 142..

If a defect in the material being printed upon is encountered, the entire master controller must be rendered inoperative to destroy the regular sequence of printing as hereinbefore explained. For this purpose, there is provided in the upper part of the frame work a cross shaft 150 with a vertically extending operating handle 151. This construction is most clearly'shown in Figures 14 and 15. Projecting laterally from the shaft 150 is an arm 152. Under normal operating conditions the handle 151 is in a verticaliposition and the end of the arm 152 engages in thenotch 123 of the specially formed piece 121 on the upper end of the boom 112. This serves to hold the boom over toward the left as viewed in Figure 4. WVh'en the boom 

